Assemblyman Blankenbush addresses ag issues in governor's budget

At the recent New York State Budget hearing on Economic Development, it became very clear how out of touch some New York City lawmakers are with upstate New York, agriculture and the basic food chain:

"How many agricultural credits benefit New York City?” said the New York City senator snidely to the Empire State Development Corp.’s president as a smirk spread across her face.

The large hearing room fell silent as the politically-charged and regionally-biased question left her lips.

“Do you EAT in New York City?” the Upstate senator dryly replied to her absurd question, causing everyone in the room to burst out laughing.

While the exchange elicited a few chuckles, it highlights the shortsighted mentality Upstate legislators face when it comes to New York state’s agricultural needs. You and I know that our local farmers work hard to feed New York’s large metropolitan areas. For this reason, New York’s agricultural sector is intimately connected with the state’s overall economic health.

Regardless, year after year, agricultural programs fall victim to budget cuts. These are the very programs that improve farm-to-market opportunities, research ways to increase the quality and productivity of family farms and support the job-creating opportunities that come from cultivating the land and raising livestock.

The suggested cuts to agricultural programs in the 2012-13 Executive Budget proposal, while not as widespread as last year’s, will nevertheless hurt the North Country more than other parts of the state. The cuts are, in my opinion, a product of short-term thinking, especially after our area won the Governor’s “Open for Business” regional economic development competition with a “best plan” that shined light on the connection between agriculture and reviving the North Country’s economy.

The funding cut to the Northern New York Agricultural Development program is just plain wrong. That $300,000 cut is a drop in the bucket when it comes to reducing overall state spending, but it represented a major boon to our region. The program fosters cutting-edge practices in farming, such as bio-fuel production, tapping into our abundance of sugar maples, cultivating cold hardy grapes on the Tug Hill Plateau and capitalizing on agri-tourism opportunities. Adding our proximity to the St. Lawrence Seaway and Canada and the growing wealth in developing nations like China and Brazil, these farming activities have huge potential in foreign trade.

Experts say that New York alone could out-produce Canada, the largest global producer and exporter of maple products. New York could be the major supplier for the United States, which currently imports to meet demand, and China, which is seeing record demand for maple products among its increasing middle to wealthy population. Again, knowing this, why is the governor eliminating the $100,000 Maple Producers program if it could give New York an edge in this growing market?

Additionally, the New York State Farm Viability Institute, which funds various agricultural initiatives throughout the state, is being hit with an outrageous 67 percent cut of $821,000. It’s clear that there is a complete disregard for how important agriculture is to a healthy New York state economy. I will make every effort to get funding for these programs successfully reinstated as I did last year.